Beverage dispensing apparatus



Sept. 8, 1931. J. M. TRAVIS 1,822,117

BEVERAGE D I SPENS ING APPARATUS 7 Filed March 14. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet lI //v VE/VTOR JOHN m km W5.

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Sept 8, 1931. v s 1,822,117

BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //vvs/vroe JOHN M. TRA v/a QTTOEA/Er Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATESJOHN M. TRAVIS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUSApplication filed March 14, 1929. Serial No. 346,945.

My invention has relation to improvements in beverage dispensingapparatus and consists in the novel features of construction more fullyset forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

Briefly the invention comprises a faucet connected with several sourcesof syrup supply, and a source of carbonated water supply, the faucetbeing provided with valve controlled passageways and a valve operatinghandle, which may be moved to a given position to dispense a drinkconsisting of'a mixture of syrup from one source and carbonated water,the handle also being movable in a different direction to dispense adrink of a mixture of syrup from another source and carbonated water. 7

The objects of the invention are to combine with a single faucet asupply of different syrups so that different beverages may be drawn fromthe same faucet; to provide a plurality of syrup measuring receptaclesleading to the faucet, whereby the quantity of syrup is accuratelyproportioned, and to withdraw thecontents of said measuring receptaclesby different movements of the faucet handle; to provide means forautomatically replenishing the supply in each measuring receptacle afterhaving exhausted the contents thereof; and to provide a faucet that iscertain in its operation and embodies other advantages that will bebetter apparent from a detailed description of the invention inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my improved beverage dispensing apparatus with parts brokenaway and only a portion of the cooler wall shown; Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is a plan of the faucet handlelooking at the under side to show the cam for operating the valves; Fig.4 is a top plan of the faucet body with the measuring receptacles cutoff; Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 55 of Fig. 4 ofthe faucet body with parts in elevation and the position of the portleading from the carbonated water pipe to the valve chamber indicated bydotted lines, as this port is in front of the plane of the section; Fig.6 is a vertical longitudinal section through the valve body taken onirregular line 66 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectionthrough the valvev in Fig. 7 showing a modified form of the.

invention wherein both syrup valve chamhere have communication withacommon syrup pipe.

Referring to the drawings, W represents the wall of a cooler traversedby a pipe 1, having my improved faucet 2 mounted on its outer end.Within the pipe 1 are syrup pipes 3, 3 and a water pipe 4, the innerends of the pipes 8 receiving risers 5 which carry the syrup receptacles6. The inner end of pipe 4 leads to a source of carbonated water, notshown. In the present instance, there are formed within the faucet twovalve chambers 7, 7 each of which communicates by means of a port 8,with one of the syrup pipes 3 so that the valve chambers 7 are normallyin communication with the source of syrup supply. Two elbows 9, 9 areconnected into the valve body 2 near the top thereof, each of whichcarries a measuring,

receptacle 10, comprising tubes 11, 11 and the receptacle proper 10, thetube 11 being extended slightly above the top of the syrup container 6and being open at the top so that The elbows I it may also serve as avent. 9, 9 are connected by vertical passageways l2, 12 with valvechambers 7, 7, the passageways 12, 12 being eccentric to the valvechamhers 7, 7 and adjacent to passageways 13, 13, the axes of which arecoincident with the valve chambers 7, 7 respectively, with which saidpassageways communicate. Syrup discharge ports 14, 14 are provided forthe measuring receptacles, each of said discharge ports communicatingwith the adjacent passageway 13 by a transverse port 15 and the upperend of each passageway 14 is threaded to receive a plug 16 which may bescrewed up or down to adjust the amount of the port 15 that is incommunication with passageway 14.

A valve 17 is disposed in chamber 7 and is normally held by a spring .9against a shoulder 18 between passageway 13 and chamber 7, said shoulder18 serving as a seat for the valve. The inner wall of chamber 7 isprovided with threads 19 and a spring seat 20, having a. central opening21, is screwed into the chamber 7 to a position above the port 8, saidseat 20 serving as an abutment for the spring .9, whereby the springexerts its tension to hold the valve 17 against its seat 18. Projectingupwardly from the valve 17 and into the passageway 13 is a stem 22 ofreduced diameter, said stem having upper and lower conical shoulders 23and 24 respectively. A gasket 25 is disposed on shoulder 23 and a tip 26adapted to slide in passageway 13 serves to confine the gasket 25 inplace. Since both of the syrup valves are similarly constructed, theforegoing description applies with equal force to the other valve. Aclosure plug 39 is screwed into the lower end of each chamber 7.

A water discharge port 27 is longitudinally disposed in the faucet body2 at the center thereof and a water valve chamber 28 is positionedbetween the port 27 and the periphery of said faucet body. The chamber28 extends approximately half way through the body 2 and communicateswith a passageway 29 in axial alinement with the chamber, saidpassageway 29 being connected by cross-ports 30, 30 with discharge port27. The passageway 29 is of smaller diam eter than chamber 28 so that ashoulder 31 is formed where they meet, and below this shoulder atransverse passageway 32 leads into chamber 28 from the water supplypipe 4. A water valve 33 is disposed in chamber 28 and normally heldagainst shoulder 31, which serves as a valve seat, by a spring confinedbetween said valve and a plug 35 screwed into the lower end of chamber28. A stem 36 of reduced diameter projects upwardly from valve 33 intopassageway 29, and a gasket 37 and tip 38 are positioned on the upperend of the stem 36. The crossports 30, 3O communicate with that part ofpassageway 29 in which the stem 36 operates so that these ports remainopen even when the valve is operated.

A stud 39 is fixed in the faucet body 2 at the center thereof and ahandle 40 having an operating disk 41 is rotatably mounted on said stud,said disk having a central opening 42 through which the stud passes andthe end of the stud having threads 43 to receive a nut 44. A pluralityof cam formations, comprising diverging inclined surfaces 45, 45 andoppositely disposed inclined surfaces 46, 46 are formed within the disk41, said formations being symmetrical with respect to the longitudinalaxis a: of the handle. That is, on each side of said axis is a cam 45and a cam 46 separated by a depression 47. The cams 45, 45 also meet ina depression 45. The disk 41 is also provided with an arcuate slot 48which receives a pin 49 projecting upwardly from the faucet body andlimits the amount of movement in either direction of the handle 40.

When the handle is in its inoperative position, that is straight to thefront, the tips 26, 26 for syrup valves 17, 17 and tip 38 for watervalve 33 are resting respectively in depressions 47, 47 and depression45. Thus the tips are in their highest positions and the valves 17, 17and 33 are closed. In this closed position of the syrup valves no syrupmay pass from discharge ports 14, 14, although syrup may flow from eachpipe 3 through opening 21 in spring seat 20 into the upper part ofchamber 7 to the measuring tube 11 and receptacle 10 until the syrupstands in tube 11. at the same level as in the tank 6. Thus normallythere is always a supply of syrup in the measuring receptacle. Ofcourse, when the water valve 33 is closed, no water can flow fromdischarge port 27. If the dispenser wishes to draw a drink from thefaucet he moves the handle 40 to one side or the other (depending on thekind of drink desired) as far as it will go. This movement depresses thetip 38 and the water valve to open posi tion (see Figs. 8 and 5) and oneof the tips 26 and syrup valve connected to it (see Fig. 6) opening saidsyrup valve. The tip actuating the other syrup valve rides idly indepression 47. When the syrup valve is depressed to open position thedepending stem 17 enters the opening 21 in spring seat 20 and thusprevents the syrup from the supply from entering the measuringreceptacle, (see dotted position Fig. 6) and at the same time allowsthat which is in said receptacle t0 flow through passageway 13 intodischarge port 14 mixing in the nozzle 50 from which the beveragedischarges. If now a beverage is dispensed by moving the handle to theopposite position, the exhausted measuring receptacle will be refilledwhile drawing the second drink. Therefore, at busy fountains, it ispreferable to fill both the tanks 6 with the same kind of syrup so thatmany drinks of the same kind may be rapidly dispensed from one faucet bymerely swinging the handle from one side to the other.

In Fig. 9 I show a modification of the invention wherein the ports 8, 8connecting the syrup valve chambers with the source of supply convergeand lead to a single syrup pipe 3 so that but a single syrup tank isnecessary. Of course, this modification cannot be employed when thefaucet is required to dispense more than one kind of beverage.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A dispensing apparatus comprising in combination with a source ofbeverage supply, a faucet having a body portion and a handle movablymounted thereon, said body portion having a plurality of beverage valvechambers in communication with the beverage supply, a beverage dischargeport leading from each chamber, a measuring receptacle adapted forcommunication with each of said chambers, and a spring-pressed valve ineach chamber between the measuring receptacle and the source of supply,a stem depending from said valve, a perforated spring abutment below thevalve adapted to be closed by said stem when the valve is depressed, andmeans on the handle for depressing the valves and simultaneouslytherewith opening the discharge ports.

2. A dispensing apparatus comprising in combination with a source ofsyrup supply and a source of water supply, a faucet having a bodyportion and a handle movably mounted thereon, said body portion having asyrup valve chamber in communication with the syrup supply and a syrupdischarge port leading from said chamber and the body portion having awater valve chamber in communication with the water supply, a measuringreceptacle adapted for communication with the syrup valve chamber, avalve in said chamber normally closing said discharge port, a valve inthe water valve chamber, and means adapted to be actuated by the handlefor operating the valves to open the syrup discharge port and the watervalve and simultaneously therewith closing communication between thesyrup valve chamber and the source of supply thereto.

3. A beverage dispensing apparatus comprising in combination with aplurality of syrup containers and a source of water supply, a faucethaving a body portion and a handle, a measuring receptacle normallhaving communication through the body portion with each of saidcontainers, said body portion having discharge ports adapted forcommunication with the respective receptacles, and a discharge portadapted for communication with the source of water supply, meansoperable by a movement of said handle to a given position for openingthe discharge port of one of said receptacles and simultaneously closingthe supply thereto, means operable by movement of the handle to a secondposition for opening the discharge port of a second receptacle andsimultaneously closing the supply thereto, and means for opening thewater discharge port with a movement of the handle to either of saidpositions.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JOHN M. TRAVIS.

